Ep. CLXXI.  To Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium.

Scarcely yet delivered from the pains of my illness, I hasten to you, the guardian of my cure.  For the tongue of a priest meditating of the Lord raises the sick.  Do then the greater thing in your priestly ministration, and loose the great mass of my sins when you lay hold of the Sacrifice of Resurrection.  For your affairs are a care to me waking or sleeping, and you are to me a good plectrum, and have made a welltuned lyre to dwell within my soul, because by your numerous letters you have trained my soul to science.  But, most reverend friend, cease not both to pray and to plead for me when you draw down the Word by your word, when with a bloodless cutting you sever the Body and Blood of the Lord, using your voice for the glaive.81    A very clear assertion of the Real Presence.

[171] ΑΜΦΙΛΟΧΙΩΙ

Μόλις ποτὲ τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἀρρωστίας ἀνανεύσαντες πόνων, ἐπὶ σὲ τὸν τῆς ἰάσεως πρόξενον δεδραμήκαμεν: γλῶσσα γὰρ ἱερέως φιλοσοφοῦσα τὸν Κύριον ἀνεγείρει τοὺς κάμνοντας. Ποίει τοίνυν τὸ κρεῖττον ἱερουργῶν καὶ λῦε τῶν ἡμαρτημένων τὸ μέγεθος, τῆς ἀναστασίμου θυσίας ἁπτόμενος. Ἐμοὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐγρηγορότι καὶ καθεύδοντι μέλει τὰ κατὰ σέ, καί μοι γέγονας πλῆκτρον ἀγαθόν, καὶ λύραν ἐναρμόνιον ταῖς ἡμετέραις ψυχαῖς εἰσῴκησας, ἀφ' ὧν μυριάκις γράφων πρὸς ἐπίγνωσιν τὰς ἡμετέρας ψυχὰς ἐξήσκησας. Ἀλλ', ὦ θεοσεβέστατε, μὴ κατόκνει καὶ προσεύχεσθαι καὶ πρεσβεύειν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ὅταν λόγῳ καθέλκῃς τὸν Λόγον, ὅταν ἀναιμάκτῳ τομῇ σῶμα καὶ αἷμα τέμνῃς δεσποτικόν, φωνὴν ἔχων τὸ ξίφος.